First American Since 1983 Wins Boston Marathon; Women’s Winner Sets Record [PHOTOS]

On Monday morning, Meb Keflezighi won the Boston Marathon, becoming the first American to do so since 1983. The women's race saw Rita Jeptoo, of Kenya, set a new course record of 2 hours, 18 minutes, 57 seconds.

“The crowd was phenomenal. I used them and they used me,” Keflezighi said after the race. “The energy was just phenomenal. Toward the end I was remembering the victims who passed away. I said ‘I’m going to use the energy to win, just like the Red Sox did [at last year's World Series].’”

Jeptoo won her second straight and third overall Boston Marathon, breaking Margaret Okayo's course record by 1 minute and 46 seconds. Marathon officials said that 35,755 people ran in this year's race.

This year's race has received a huge amount of attention, as it is the first Boston Marathon since the terrorist bombings at last year's event. That an American won for the first time in more than 20 years is an especially proud way for the city of Boston to celebrate the return of one of its most popular annual events. It's been a week of commemorative ceremonies to remember the horror of last April, in which twin bombings near the finish line killed three people and injured more than 260.